17/05/2015 InterviewWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview#Types_of_interviews 1/7

InterviewFromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Aninterviewisaconversationbetweentwoormorepeoplewherequestionsareaskedbytheinterviewertoelicitfactsorstatementsfromtheinterviewee.[1]Interviewsareastandardpartofqualitativeresearch.Theyarealsousedinjournalismandmediareporting(seeInterview(journalism))andinvariousemploymentrelatedcontexts.

Thequalitativeresearchinterviewseekstodescribeandthemeaningsofcentralthemesinthelifeworldofthesubjects.Themaintaskininterviewingistounderstandthemeaningofwhattheintervieweessay.Interviewing,whenconsideredasamethodforconductingqualitativeresearch,isatechniqueusedtounderstandtheexperiencesofothers.

Contents

1Characteristicsofqualitativeresearchinterviews2Technique3Strengthsandweaknesses4Howitfeelstobeaparticipantinqualitativeresearchinterviews5Typesofinterviews6Householdresearch7Interviewer'sjudgements8Othertypesofinterviews9Stagesofinterviewinvestigation10Seealso11References12Furtherreading

Characteristicsofqualitativeresearchinterviews

Interviewsarecompletedbytheinterviewerbasedonwhattheintervieweesaystobeconformed.Interviewsareafarmorepersonalformofresearchthanquestionnaires.Inthepersonalinterview,theinterviewerworksdirectlywiththeinterviewee.Unlikewithmailsurveys,theinterviewerhastheopportunitytoprobeoraskfollowupquestions.Interviewsaregenerallyeasierfortheinterviewee,especiallyifwhatissoughtareopinionsand/orimpressions.Interviewsaretimeconsumingandresourceintensive.Theinterviewerisconsideredapartofthemeasurementinstrumentandhastobewelltrainedinhowtorespondtoanycontingency.Interviewsprovideanopportunityoffacetofaceinteractionbetween2personshence,theyreduceconflicts.

Technique

Whenchoosingtointerviewasamethodforconductingqualitativeresearch,itisimportanttobetactfulandsensitiveinyourapproach.Interviewerandresearcher,IrvingSeidman,devotesanentirechapterofhisbook,InterviewingasQualitativeResearch,totheimportofproperinterviewingtechniqueand

17/05/2015 InterviewWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview#Types_of_interviews 2/7

intervieweretiquette.Someofthefundamentalsofhistechniquearesummarizedbelow:

Listening:AccordingtoSeidman,thisisboththehardestaswellasthemostimportantskillininterviewing.Furthermore,interviewersmustbepreparedtolistenonthreedifferentlevels:theymustlistentowhattheparticipantisactuallysaying,theymustlistentotheinnervoice[2]orsubtextofwhattheparticipantiscommunicating,andtheymustalsolistentotheprocessandflowoftheinterviewsoastoremainawareofhowtiredorboredtheparticipantisaswellaslogisticssuchashowmuchtimehasalreadypassedandhowmanyquestionsstillremain.[2]Thelisteningskillsrequiredinaninterviewrequiremorefocusandattentiontodetailthanwhatistypicalinnormalconversation.Thereforeitisoftenhelpfulforinterviewerstotakenoteswhiletheparticipantrespondstoquestionsortotaperecordtheinterviewsthemselvestoastobeabletomoreaccuratelytranscribethemlater.[2]

Askquestions(tofollowupandtoclarify):Whileaninterviewergenerallyenterseachinterviewwithapredetermined,standardizedsetofquestions,itisimportantthattheyalsoaskfollowupquestionsthroughouttheprocess.Suchquestionsmightencourageaparticipanttoelaborateuponsomethingpoignantthattheyvesharedandareimportantinacquiringamorecomprehensiveunderstandingofthesubjectmatter.Additionally,itisimportantthatanintervieweraskclarifyingquestionswhentheyareconfused.Ifthenarrative,details,orchronologyofaparticipantsresponsesbecomeunclear,itisoftenappropriatefortheinterviewertoaskthemtoreexplaintheseaspectsoftheirstorysoastokeeptheirtranscriptionsaccurate.[2]

Berespectfulofboundaries:SeidmanexplainsthistacticasExplore,dontprobe,[2]Itisessentialthatwhiletheparticipantisbeinginterviewedtheyarebeingencouragedtoexploretheirexperiencesinamannerthatissensitiveandrespectful.Theyshouldnotbeprobedinsuchawaythatmakesthemfeeluncomfortableorlikeaspecimeninlab.Iftoomuchtimeisspentdwellingonminutedetailsoriftoomanyfollowupquestionsareasked,itispossiblethattheparticipantwillbecomedefensiveorunwillingtoshare.Thus,itistheinterviewersjobtostrikeabalancebetweenambiguityandspecificityintheirquestionasking.[2]

Bewaryofleadingquestions:Leadingquestionsarequestionswhichsuggestorimplyananswer.Whiletheyareoftenaskedinnocentlytheyruntheriskofalteringthevalidityoftheresponsesobtainedastheydiscourageparticipantsfromusingtheirownlanguagetoexpresstheirsentiments.Thusitispreferablethatinterviewersaskopenendedquestionsinstead.Forexample,insteadofaskingDidtheexperiencemakeyoufeelsad?whichisleadinginnatureitwouldbebettertoaskHowdidtheexperiencemakeyoufeelasthissuggestsnoexpectation.[2]

Dontinterrupt:Participantsshouldfeelcomfortableandrespectedthroughouttheentireinterviewthusinterviewersshouldavoidinterruptingparticipantswheneverpossible.Whileparticipantsmaydigressintheirresponsesandwhiletheinterviewermayloseinterestinwhattheyaresayingatonepointoranotheritiscriticalthattheybetactfulintheireffortstokeeptheparticipantontrackandtoreturntothesubjectmatterinquestion.[2]

Maketheparticipantfeelcomfortable:Interviewingproposesanunusualdynamicinthatitoftenrequirestheparticipanttodivulgepersonaloremotionalinformationinthepresenceofacompletestranger.Thus,manyinterviewersfindithelpfultoasktheparticipanttoaddressthemasiftheyweresomeoneelse,[2]suchasaclosefriendorfamilymember.Thisisoftenaneffectivemethodfortuningintotheaforementionedinnervoice[2]oftheparticipantandbreakingdownthemorepresentationalbarriersoftheguardedoutervoicewhichoftenprevails.[2]

17/05/2015 InterviewWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview#Types_of_interviews 3/7

Strengthsandweaknesses

Therearemanymethods.Whenconsideringwhattypeofqualitativeresearchmethodtouse,QualitativeInterviewinghasmanyadvantages.PossiblythegreatestadvantageofQualitativeInterviewingisthedepthofdetailfromtheinterviewee.Interviewingparticipantscanpaintapictureofwhathappenedinaspecificevent,tellustheirperspectiveofsuchevent,aswellasgiveothersocialcues.Socialcues,suchasvoice,intonation,bodylanguageetc.oftheintervieweecangivetheintervieweralotofextrainformationthatcanbeaddedtotheverbalansweroftheintervieweeonaquestion.Thislevelofdetaileddescription,whetheritbeverbalornonverbal,canshowanotherwisehiddeninterrelatednessbetweenemotions,people,objectsunlikemanyquantitativemethodsofresearch.[3]

Inaddition,QualitativeInterviewinghasauniqueadvantageinitsspecificform.Researcherscantailorthequestionstheyasktotherespondentinordertogetrich,fullstoriesandtheinformationtheyneedfortheirproject.Theycanmakeitcleartotherespondentwhentheyneedmoreexamplesorexplanations.[4]

Notonlycanresearchersalsolearnaboutspecificevents,theycanalsogaininsightintopeoplesinteriorexperiences,specificallyhowpeopleperceiveandhowtheyinterpretedtheirperceptions.Howeventsaffectedtheirthoughtsandfeelings.Inthis,researcherscanunderstandtheprocessofaneventinsteadofwhatjusthappenedandhowtheyreactedtoit.

AnotheradvantageofQualitativeinterviewingiswhatitcangivetothereadersofacademicjournalsandpapers.Researchcanwriteaclearerreporttotheirreaders,givingthemafullerunderstandingoftheexperiencesofourrespondentsandagreaterchancetoidentifywiththerespondent,ifonlybriefly.[3]

NowQualitativeInterviewingisnotaperfectmethodforalltypesofresearch.Itdoeshaveitsdisadvantages.First,therecanbecomplicationswiththeplanningoftheinterview.Notonlyisrecruitingpeopleforinterviewshard,duetothetypicallypersonalnatureoftheinterview,planningwheretomeetthemandwhencanbedifficult.Participantscancancelorchangethemeetingplaceatthelastminute.Duringtheactualinterview,apossibleweaknessismissingsomeinformation.Thiscanarisefromtheimmensemultitaskingthattheinterviewermustdo.Notonlydotheyhavetomaketherespondentfeelverycomfortable,theyhavetokeepasmucheyecontactaspossible,writedownasmuchastheycan,andthinkoffollowupquestions.Aftertheinterview,theprocessofcodingbeginsandwiththiscomesitsownsetofdisadvantages.First,codingcanbeextremelytimeconsuming.Thisprocesstypicallyrequiresmultiplepeople,whichcanalsobecomeexpensive.Second,thenatureofqualitativeresearchitself,doesntlenditselfverywelltoquantitativeanalysis.Someresearchersreportmoremissingdataininterviewresearchthansurveyresearch,thereforeitcanbedifficulttocomparepopulations[3]

Howitfeelstobeaparticipantinqualitativeresearchinterviews

Comparedtosomethinglikeawrittensurvey,interviewsallowforasignificantlyhigherdegreeofintimacy,[5]withparticipantsoftenrevealingpersonalinformationtotheirinterviewersinarealtime,facetofacesetting.Assuch,thistechniquecanevokeanarrayofsignificantfeelingsandexperienceswithinthosebeinginterviewed.

Onthepositiveend,interviewingcanprovideparticipantswithanoutlettoexpressthemselves.Sincethejobofinterviewersistolearn,nottotreatorcounsel,theydonotofferparticipantsanyadvice,butnonetheless,tellinganattentivelisteneraboutconcernsandcarescanbepleasing.AsqualitativeresearcherRobertS.Weissputsit,Totalktosomeonewholistens,andlistensclosely,canbevaluable,becauseonesownexperience,throughtheprocessofbeingvoicedandshared,isvalidated.[6]Such

17/05/2015 InterviewWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview#Types_of_interviews 4/7

validation,however,canhaveadownsideifaparticipantfeelsletdownuponterminationoftheinterviewrelationship,[7]for,unlikewithfiguresliketherapistsorcounselors,interviewersdonottakeameasureofongoingresponsibilityfortheparticipant,andtheirrelationshipisnotcontinuous.[8]Tominimizethepotentialforthisdisappointment,researchersshouldtellparticipantshowmanyinterviewstheywillbeconductinginadvance,andalsoprovidethemwithsometypeofclosure,suchasaresearchsummaryoracopyoftheprojectpublication.[7]

Onthenegativeend,themultiplequestionbasednatureofinterviewscanleadparticipantstofeeluncomfortableandintrudeduponifaninterviewerencroachesonterritorythattheyfeelistoopersonalorprivate.Toavoidcrossingthisline,researchersshouldattempttodistinguishbetweenpublicinformationandprivateinformation,andonlydelvedeeperintoprivateinformationaftertryingtogaugeaparticipantscomfortlevelindiscussingit.[8]

Furthermore,thecomparativelyintimatenatureofinterviewscanmakeparticipantsfeelvulnerabletoharmorexploitation.[9]Thiscanbeespeciallytrueforsituationsinwhichasuperiorinterviewsasubordinate,likewhenteacherinterviewershisorherstudent.Inthesesituations,participantsmaybefearfulofprovidingawronganswer,orsayingsomethingthatcouldpotentiallygetthemintotroubleandreflectonthemnegatively.[9]However,allinterviewrelationships,notjustexplicitlysuperiorsubordinateones,aremarkedbysomedegreeofinequality,asinterviewersandparticipantswantandreceivedifferentthingsfromthetechnique.[9]Thus,researchersshouldalwaysbeconcernedwiththepotentialforparticipantfeelingsofvulnerability,especiallyinsituationswherepersonalinformationisrevealed.

Inordertocombatsuchfeelingsofvulnerabilityandinequityandtomakeparticipantsfeelsafe,equal,andrespected,researchersshouldprovidethemwithinformationaboutthestudy,suchaswhoisrunningitandwhatpotentialrisksitmightentail,andalsowithinformationabouttheirrights,suchastherighttoreviewinterviewmaterialsandwithdrawfromtheprocessatanytime.Itisespeciallyimportantthatresearchersalwaysemphasizethevoluntarynatureofparticipatinginastudysothattheparticipantsremainawareoftheiragency.[9]

Theseaforementionedpowerdynamicspresentininterviewscanalsohavespecificeffectsondifferentsocialgroupsaccordingtoracialbackground,gender,age,andclass.Race,forexample,canposeissuesinaninterviewsettingifparticipantsofamarginalizedracialbackgroundareinterviewedbywhiteresearchers,[9]inwhichcasetheexistenceofhistoricalandsocietalprejudicescanevokeasenseofskepticismanddistrust.[9]Genderdynamicscansimilarlyaffectfeelings,withmensometimesactingoverbearinglywheninterviewingwomenandactingdismissivelywhenbeinginterviewedbywomen,andsamegenderedpairsbeingvulnerabletofalseassumptionsofcommonalityorasenseofimplicitcompetition.[9]Intermsofclass,participantsofperceivedlowerstatusdemonstrate,insomecases,eitherexcessiveskepticismorexcessivesubmissiveness,andintermsofage,childrenandseniorsmayexhibitfearsofbeingpatronized.[9]Inordertominimizethesesocialgrouprelatednegativefeelings,researchersshouldremainsensitivetopossiblesourcesofsuchtensions,andactaccordinglybyemphasizinggoodmanners,respect,andagenuineinterestintheparticipant,allofwhichcanallhelpbridgesocialbarriers.[9]

Finally,anotheraspectofinterviewsthatcanaffecthowaparticipantfeelsishowtheinterviewerexpresseshisorherownfeelings,forinterviewerscanprojecttheirmoodsandemotionsontothosetheyareinterviewing.Forinstance,ifaninterviewerfeelsnoticeablyuncomfortable,theparticipantmaybegintosharethisdiscomfort,[9]andifaninterviewerexpressesanger,heorsheisindangerofpassingitontotheparticipant.So,researchersshouldtrytoremaincalm,polite,andinterestedatalltimes.

17/05/2015 InterviewWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview#Types_of_interviews 5/7

Typesofinterviews

Informal,ConversationalinterviewNopredeterminedquestionsareasked,inordertoremainasopenandadaptableaspossibletotheintervieweesnatureandprioritiesduringtheinterviewtheinterviewergoeswiththeflow.

GeneralinterviewguideapproachIntendedtoensurethatthesamegeneralareasofinformationarecollectedfromeachintervieweethisprovidesmorefocusthantheconversationalapproach,butstillallowsadegreeoffreedomandadaptabilityingettingtheinformationfromtheinterviewee.

Standardized,openendedinterviewThesameopenendedquestionsareaskedtoallintervieweesthisapproachfacilitatesfasterinterviewsthatcanbemoreeasilyanalyzedandcompared.

Closed,fixedresponseinterviewAllintervieweesareaskedthesamequestionsandaskedtochooseanswersfromamongthesamesetofalternatives.Thisformatisusefulforthosenotpracticedininterviewing.Thistypeofinterviewisalsoreferredtoasstructured.[10]

Householdresearch

Researchonhouseholdsposespecificethicalproblemsofanonymityandconsentamonginterviewees,andthereisanongoingcontroversyoverwhetherspousesshouldbeinterviewedinpersonal,individualinterviewsorincoupleinterviews.[11]

Interviewer'sjudgements

AccordingtoHackmanandOldmanseveralfactorscanbiasaninterviewer'sjudgmentaboutajobapplicant.Howeverthesefactorscanbereducedorminimizedbytraininginterviewstorecognizedthem.

Someexamplesare:

PriorInformationInterviewersgenerallyhavesomepriorinformationaboutjobcandidates,suchasrecruiterevaluations,applicationblanks,onlinescreeningresults,ortheresultsofpsychologicaltests.Thiscancausetheinterviewertohaveafavorableorunfavorableattitudetowardanapplicantbeforemeetingthem.

TheContrastEffectHowtheinterviewersevaluateaparticularapplicantmaydependontheirstandardsofcomparison,thatis,thecharacteristicsoftheapplicantstheyinterviewedpreviously.

Interviewers'PrejudicesThiscanbedonewhentheinterviewers'judgementistheirpersonallikesanddislikes.Thesemayincludebutarenotlimitedtoracialandethnicbackground,applicantswhodisplaycertainqualitiesortraitsandrefusetoconsidertheirabilitiesorcharacteristics.

Othertypesofinterviews

CognitiveinterviewComputerassistedpersonalvs.telephoneinterviewingLadderinterview

17/05/2015 InterviewWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview#Types_of_interviews 6/7

WikimediaCommonshasmediarelatedtoInterviews.

Stagesofinterviewinvestigation

Thematizing,thewhyandwhatoftheinvestigationDesigning,planthedesignofthestudyInterviewing,conducttheinterviewbasedonaguideTranscribing,preparetheinterviewmaterialforanalysisAnalyzing,decideonthepurpose,thetopic,thenatureandmethodsofanalysisthatareappropriateVerifying,ascertainthevalidityoftheinterviewfindingsReporting,communicatefindingsofthestudybasedonacademiccriteria

Seealso

SurveymethodologyThematicanalysis

References

MallinterceptpersonalinterviewOnlineinterviewPsychiatricinterviewReferenceinterview,betweenalibrarianandalibraryuserRepertorygridinterviewStructured,semistructured,andunstructuredinterviewStructuredClinicalInterviewforDSMIV

1. http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/interview2. Seidman,I(1998).Techniqueisnteverything,butitisalot.InInterviewingasqualitativeresearch:Aguide

forresearchersineducationandthesocialsciences.NewYork,NY:TeachersCollegePress.3. Weiss,R.S.(1994).Learningfromstrangers,theartandmethodofqualitativeinterviewstudies.NewYork,

NY:FreePr.4. Emans,Ben(1986).Interviewentheorie,techniekentraining.Groningen:WoltersNoordhoff.5. Seidman,Irving.InterviewingasQualitativeResearch:AGuideforResearchersinEducationandtheSocial

Sciences.TeachersCollegePress,1998,pg.496. Weiss,Robert.LearningfromStrangers:TheArtandMethodofQualitativeInterviewStudies.TheFree

Press,1994,pg.1227. Weiss,Robert.LearningfromStrangers:TheArtandMethodofQualitativeInterviewStudies.TheFree

Press,1994,pg.1238. Seidman,Irving.InterviewingasQualitativeResearch:AGuideforResearchersinEducationandtheSocial

Sciences.TeachersCollegePress,1998,pg.919. Seidman,Irving.InterviewingasQualitativeResearch:AGuideforResearchersinEducationandtheSocial

Sciences.TeachersCollegePress,199810. Moore,Brenda(2014)."InDepthInterviewing"inRoutledgeHandbookofResearchMethodsinMilitary

Studies(http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=ENDpAwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT23&ots=TRFdlv1qZH&sig=dp4OqiNnE9QZSlWdW40Pbp6cHm4#v=onepage&q&f=false),(eds.)J.Sorters,P.Shields,SHenriette.NewYork:Routledge.115128.

11. Bjrnholt,MFarstad,G.R.(2012)." 'AmIrambling?'Ontheadvantagesofinterviewingcouplestogether"(http://www.margunnbjornholt.no/wpcontent/uploads/2012/10/Am_I_rambling_on_the_advantages_of_interviewing_couples_together.pdf)(PDF).QualitativeResearch14(1):319.doi:10.1177/1468794112459671(https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F1468794112459671).

17/05/2015 InterviewWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview#Types_of_interviews 7/7

Furtherreading

Bechhofer,FrankPaterson,Lindsay(2000)."Tointerviewornottointerview".PrinciplesofResearchDesignintheSocialSciences.London:Routledge.pp.5571.ISBN0415214432.Boynton,Petra(2005).TheResearchCompanion:APracticalGuidefortheSocialandHealthSciences.ThePsychologyPress.ISBN1841693049.Campion,M.A.Campion,J.E.Hudson,J.P.,Jr.(1994)."StructuredInterviewing:ANoteonIncrementalValidityandAlternativeQuestionTypes".JournalofAppliedPsychology79(6):9981002.doi:10.1037/00219010.79.6.998(https://dx.doi.org/10.1037%2F00219010.79.6.998).Dick,Bob.ConvergentInterviewing.Session8of"AreolActionResearchandEvaluation",SouthernCrossUniversity,2002Foddy,William(1993).ConstructingQuestionsforInterviewsandQuestionnaires.CambridgeUniversityPress.ISBN0521420091.GeneralAccountingOffice(1991)."UsingStructuredInterviewingTechniques"(http://www.gao.gov/special.pubs/pe1015.pdf)(PDF).ProgramEvaluationandMethodologyDivision.WashingtonD.C.Groat,LindaWang,David(2002).ArchitecturalResearchMethods.NewYork:JohnWiley&Sons.ISBN0471333654.Hollowitz,J.Wilson,C.E.(1993)."StructuredInterviewinginVolunteerSelection".JournalofAppliedCommunicationResearch21(1):4152.doi:10.1080/00909889309365354(https://dx.doi.org/10.1080%2F00909889309365354).Kvale,Steinar(1996).Interviews:AnIntroductiontoQualitativeResearchInterviewing.SagePublications.ISBN0803958196.McNamara,Carter(1999)."GeneralGuidelinesforConductingInterviews"(http://communities.usaidallnet.gov/fa/system/files/General+Guidelines+for+Conducting+Interviews.pdf)(PDF).Minnesota.Pawlas,G.E.(1995)."TheStructuredInterview:ThreeDozenQuestionstoAskProspectiveTeachers".NASSPBulletin79:6265.Schultz,DuaneP.Schultz,SydneyEllen(2010).PsychologyandWorkToday:AnIntroductiontoIndustrialandOrganizationalPsychology(10thed.).UpperSaddleRiver,N.J.:PrenticeHall.p.71.ISBN9780205683581.Trochim,WilliamM.K.(2002)."TypesofSurveys"(http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/survtype.php).ResearchMethodsKnowledgeBase.Watts,G.E.(1993)."EffectiveStrategiesinSelectingQualityFaculty".InternationalConferenceforCommunityCollegeChairs,Deans,&OtherInstructionalLeaders(Phoenix,Arizona).

Retrievedfrom"http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Interview&oldid=662193709"

Categories: Evaluationmethods Researchmethods Surveymethodology Interviews

Thispagewaslastmodifiedon13May2015,at19:12.TextisavailableundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionShareAlikeLicenseadditionaltermsmayapply.Byusingthissite,youagreetotheTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicy.WikipediaisaregisteredtrademarkoftheWikimediaFoundation,Inc.,anonprofitorganization.